Escaping the System
by x3lissa
Summary: Yui Hyuga isn't your typical shinobi. She's got her heart set on only one thing: escaping the system. [OC x Neji]
1. 1

We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.

-Plato

* * *

Yui Hyuga was certainly not your typical 3 year old. Perhaps it was her dark red hair that singled her out, or the speed of her development, or her unorthodox Gentle Fist style. Anywho, Yui Hyuga was just _different._

To say the least, her parents were displeased. Haruka and Soma Hyuga were two respected members of the Branch House, known for their skill and loyalty to the main house. Having a child that was _different_ reflected negatively on them, and they just couldn't have that. They planned to mold her out so that what was _different_ would disappear.

"Yui, correct your form." her father commanded, frowning. Yui internally groaned but obeyed; they had been training for over 3 hours now. She copied the stance that her father demonstrated for her, straightening her sagging body.

"Start again." he commanded, observing as Yui restarted her training combo. _Left palm, right palm, jab, rotational strike, sweep back._ She stood panting after doing another 5 sets. Yui pouted, she bet that other kids her age didn't have to do training like this.

Soma sighed, satisfied with her training session. She was intelligent and flexible, but lacked power; he could fix that soon enough. "Father, I have a question." Yui asked, brushing her sweaty hair behind her ear. "If I was in real combat with an enemy and if he was faster than me, couldn't I follow with a downward swipe like this?" she asked, demonstrating with her right hand. "I think I would make a hit, even if he was faster."

Her father narrowed his eyes dangerously. "No." he said. "If he is faster or more flexible than you, then you must train to be faster and more flexible than him. Do not ask questions about attacks that don't follow the Gentle Fist. Dismissed."

Yui pouted, but left the room anyway.

As she took a bath, she considered her training. She was right. She _would_ be able to land a hit, but she couldn't attack like that because it went against the Gentle Fist style.

She understood why her father was upset with her. No Hyuga fought like she did. When she sparred with people her age, she abandoned the "circle-fighting" concept of Gentle Fist and fought more instinctively. It just wasn't proper.

Still, the way she fought was the reason that she won most of her spars! When she was sparred, the other kids didn't expect the violent onslaught of attacks. She didn't have anything against _Neji Hyuga_ , who had always beaten her soundly, but still! Yui groaned, dunking her hair in the water in frustration.

Her fighting techniques weren't the only reason why she was frustrated. She was so... limited in this clan! The only time that she went outside were for outdoor training in the courtyard. She had never run around and made any friends like the civilian kids she saw out the window.

She couldn't even decide what she wanted to do in life! Every day, her parents reminded her that her duty was to become a shinobi that would protect the Main House well. If she was to die, she would have to die in servitude to the Main House. It just _wasn't fair!_

Getting out of the bath, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Dark red hair, white eyes, pale skin. She lifted her fringe up, to reveal her forehead. _'Tomorrow, there will be a curse mark there...'_ she thought, fingers trailing over the smooth skin covering her head.

"I will not be your typical Hyuga." she stated firmly, her childish voice filled with resolve. "I will uphold my duties as a member of the Branch House, and protect the Main House. However, I shall choose my own path, and what I wish to fight for." she swore to herself.

Yui smiled to herself. She was going to escape the boundaries that had been placed upon her. She was going to escape the system.

* * *

Hello! This is an idea I came up with a while ago, and I've finally decided to turn it into a story. This is going to develop extremely quickly in the beginning, because I _hate_ writing introductions. I'm not sure if this will work out, but be sure to R&R if you enjoy it!

~Lissa


	2. 2

Working against a restriction - for me - often produces greater things than getting rid of all boundaries.

-Jon Lord

* * *

Today was the day.

By tradition, on the current heir's third birthday, the children born into the Branch House would be branded with the cursed seal.

There were two children that were to be branded today, Neji and Yui.

The Branch House members lined up against the walls, having Yui and Neji walk across the compound to Hiashi Hyuga's office. Yui gave Neji a nod of acknowledgement, as they stood side by side. The two had always been friends, being the only Branch House children. They had developed a bit of a rivalry, but they remained close.

He nodded back, a small smile of encouragement lingering on his face. Hizashi Hyuga walked in front of us, knocking the door of his twin's office.

"Come in." a deep voice rang. Hizashi opened the door, revealing the Hyuga council. The council was made up of the most powerful members of the main house. They dealt with problems clan problems, mostly Branch House uprisings. We _detested_ them.

"Yui, Neji." Hiashi started, approaching us. We stood in front of him, apprehensive and nervous. "Take your oaths."

Neji went first. "I, Neji Hyuga, will protect the Sōke with my life. I will obey any order, and provide my service to the Sōke until the day of my death."

Hiashi nodded, and turned to Yui. She took a shaky breath, before opening her eyes. "I, Yui Hyuga will protect the Sōke with my life. I will obey any order, and provide my service to the Sōke until the day of my death."

There was a moment of silence, where our oaths sunk in. Hiashi placed his palms on our foreheads, before chanting something incoherent.

Yui held her breath, as she felt a terrible migraine overtake her head. Suddenly, an unbearable pain shot through her skull. She writhed on the floor, clutching her head in pain. Tears seeped out, wetting her face. She could faintly hear Neji having a similar reaction, but she was too focused on the excruciating burning sensation she felt.

Through her teary vision, she could see Hiashi standing tall, an unreadable expression on his face. Yui let out one final scream, before everything went black.

She had passed out.

* * *

When Yui awoke, her parents were by her side, proud expressions on their faces. "Congratulations Yui, you've become a member of the Branch House." her mother said happily, stroking her daughter's forehead.

Yui didn't feel proud. No, she felt extremely tired. There was still faint throbbing sensation lingering in her skull. "Mother, the branding hurt." she whispered, clutching her knees. "Does it feel like that when a member of the main house activates it?"

Haruka nodded. "We live in servitude to the Main House. It's only right that we are punished with excruciating pain when we disobey our own fates."

Yui frowned, remembering her vow from yesterday. "Is Neji ok?" she asked, changing the subject. She pictured the happy boy. Yui remembered he had been screaming in pain.

Her mother shrugged indifferently, and handed Yui a mirror. "Look at your reflection." she commanded, brushing her daughter's fringe to the side. There was an evident green 'x' in the middle of her forehead. Yui had been branded with the curse seal.

"Congratulations, Yui." her father repeated, a small smirk on his face.

* * *

"No!" a familiar voice shouted in anguish. Yui senses sharpened, and she instinctively activated her Byakugan. She had been walking back from training, but she noticed that Neji wasn't there. She had thought that maybe he hadn't recovered from the branding, as Neji _never_ skipped training.

She spotted him an a nearby room, crouching over... a sheet covering a dead body? Moreover, Hiashi- no, Hizashi Hyuga's body?" She rushed into the room, deactivating her Byakugan. "What happened?" she asked in a voice filled with panic.

"Oh, Hiashi-sama. I'm sorry for intruding." she apologized hastily, spotting him in the corner. "I instinctively activated my Byakugan and saw what was in here." Yui explained, gesturing to a _crying_ Neji?

There was a moment where the only sound in the room was Neji's sobbing. "What _has_ happened?" Yui asked reluctantly. You weren't supposed to question the head of the family in any circumstances.

"Kumogakure-nin tried to steal our Byakugan." Hiashi rumbled monotonously. "My brother's life was traded for peace with Kumo." he explained, a tinge of sadness in his eyes.

Neji stood up suddenly, a hard look in his eyes. He gave his uncle a nod of acknowledgement, and then turned to Yui. "Please don't speak about this around me, Yui-san." Yui nodded numbly, still processing the information. Neji then walked out of the room, his steps almost mechanical.

Yui bowed respectfully at Hiashi, before walking out aswell. _"Neji called me Yui- **san**. He never does that. It's always just been Yui" _ she realized.

He had changed.

* * *

And that concludes the Hyuga Affair :D. Like I said, the beginning will develop extremely quickly. I really want to get to the regular plot. The next chapter will be Yui's time at the Academy all shoved into one chapter, so it might be a bit longer. Please R&R on this if you enjoy it! I'm starting to get really attached to this fic :3.

~Lissa


End file.
